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Thanks to an epic royal dealt by a generous video poker machine earlier in the evening, two of us recently dined with wild abandon at the newest Nobu, this one located at Caesars Palace. Pricey, yes, but worth the price of admission if faultless seafood, impeccable service and legendary Nobu ambiance is on your Las [&hellip
The majority of Las Vegas buffets are pretty much the same. Given the nature of a buffet, the food from one to the next is going to be standard, non-descript fare. Reviewing Las Vegas buffets is pointless unless the food is comically bad (like the one at the Rampart Resort in Summerlin), or notably good. [&hellip
A whole pork tenderloin is hard to beat for entertaining or special family dinners. It’s easy to prepare in a variety of ways, easy to slice and there’s virtually no waste. The only prep needed may be to remove any tough silver skin on the outside, and this is easily done with a sharp knife. [&hellip
With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, I’ve received a few emails about corned beef. I am re-publishing this post from two years ago about corned beef in hopes it will be helpful to new readers. This is still my preferred method for turning out a corned beef that starts with a store-bought piece of [&hellip
Something really good happens when butter is mixed with miso. It’s a classic combo for sautéing fish and seafood dishes, especially scallops. So why not eggs? The flavor of miso, light miso in this recipe, is very close to good soy sauce. No big surprise considering soy sauce is basically liquid miso (more or less) [&hellip
We were pleasantly surprised by a recent weeknight stop at this small, unassuming, neighborhood restaurant on W. Sahara (between Buffalo and Tenaya). A few dishes prepared by a cook who obviously knows their way around a southeast-Asian kitchen were exceptional. The menu here isn’t expansive, we always take that as a good sign. We’d much [&hellip
I am not going to lie and say roasting a duck is as easy as roasting a chicken. It isn’t quite as easy as that, but it’s not rocket science. To begin with, I do an overnight dry brining, just as I do with a whole chicken. Opinions vary about brining duck, but I find [&hellip
With recent legislation banning smoking in restaurants and bars that serve food, Las Vegas has seen the demise of many of our beloved neighborhood 24/7 video poker bars that served some of the best burgers, steaks and bar food known to man. One newer lounge, Bomas, is brilliantly complying with the smoking ban as well [&hellip
A group of us dining midweek at Fleming’s recently were mesmerized by a lonely petit filet ($39) on a rather large plate served only with thirty-three festive flecks of parsley. Forget that this filet was ordered medium rare and it came out something close to Ash Wednesday. To be fair, we were a large party, [&hellip
You never know what treasures you’ll find in the dozens of little strip plazas that dot the Las Vegas Valley. Small family-owned restaurants, markets, shops, and um, yes, massage parlors and immigration lawyers catering to the needs of the diverse Las Vegas population can be found on nearly every corner. I get excited when I [&hellip
Village Square on the corner of Ft. Apache and W. Sahara is quietly hiding a few culinary gems. We’re already big fans of the innovative spins on gourmet burgers at Bachi Burger. That corner of town has become even more interesting with another stellar casual dining option a few doors away from Bachi. We’re talking [&hellip
With Valentine’s Day inconveniently falling on a weekday this year, take-out might be on the menu for busy lovers. With so many outstanding choices for take-out in Las Vegas, there is no shame whatsoever with that. With the right bottle of wine, a phone call to a restaurant, and the right partner, a weeknight Valentine’s
Is it polenta or grits? If you are in southern Europe, you’ll call it polenta. If you are in the southern U.S., it’s grits. They both use cornmeal and are cooked in the same fashion. This recipe can very easily be called Shrimp and Grits, a very popular dish from the American south. My recipe
Classic Greek pork souvlaki inspires this delicious sandwich. Traditional souvlaki would be made with skewered and grilled cubes of pork, but on the rare, rainy Las Vegas afternoon, the outdoor grill isn’t an option. Instead, pita bread is filled with tender, stir-fried pork strips featuring bold Greek flavors, and topped Gyro-style with the yogurt and
There’s no question that standard supermarket lemons are an indispensable ingredient in cooking and baking. They’re yellow and tart, and there’s never any mystery about what’s inside. But there’s one variety of lemon that I’m really crazy about–the Meyer lemon. Meyer lemons are a cross between the standard lemon and mandarin oranges, and they have
It’s winter in Las Vegas and the holidays are over. We’re in the middle of a string of days with below-freezing temps and cabin fever is rapidly setting in. Time to get out of the winter doldrums before Prozac is the only escape. If you happen to be a Las Vegas local, you might head
Maybe it’s because Casa Di Amore courts tourists staying on the Strip with free limo transport back & forth to their hotel and they need to recoup the cost of the limo…or perhaps it’s because they are active in the Groupon/Living Social/Restaurant.com coupon circuit and they need to stop the bleeding from that action, but
All the positive buzz about this newest restaurant in the Tivoli Village development caught our attention-and rightly so. Calling it’s menu “modern” Mexican cuisine, Cantina Laredo is tweaking standard Mexican classics just enough to give them new vibrancy utilizing exceptional ingredients. We fell in love at first sight with a duo of two memorable fire-roasted
It was good while it lasted….real good. We love everything about this chain of local neighborhood markets located in the Southwest, but all good things must end, and the end is near for Fresh & Easy, as we know it. Owned by the UK grocery giant, Tesco, Fresh & Easy sadly has not met earnings
There’s no need to be apprehensive about Brussels sprouts. Forget about the overcooked, bitter sprouts of your youth and give them a second chance with this quick, easy and very tasty recipe. For best results choose bright green, medium sized sprouts with firm, tight leaves and do not overcook them. Sprouts may be cooked whole
Bargains on holiday hams come with a curse…what to do with all the leftover ham. Most leftover ham finds it’s way into bean soup, ham salad and scalloped potatoes, but it also makes these terrific little appetizers that have a bonus-they can be made ahead and frozen until needed. Grinding the ham is a no-brainer
A boneless pork loin roast is a great choice for an economical Sunday dinner, but it can lack flavor and tends to dry out if not cooked properly. Both problems are easily solved with an optional, simple overnight brining. I’m totally sold on the brining step when it comes to juicy pork as well as
Did you know those packages of cute baby carrots in your supermarket produce aisle aren’t really baby carrots? Officially called “baby-cut” carrots, they’re actually full size carrots, usually ones that have imperfections that might otherwise have been discarded, that have been trimmed down into bite-size carrots that come in handy for a quick side dish.
Las Vegas has no shortage of pizza places, sadly, most of them aren’t worth discussing. Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza and Grill, however, is worth talking about out-loud. It was our first favorite pie when we first moved here over a decade ago. Years later, it still has a place in our top ten. Yes, the pizza
Food experts make a big deal about roasting a chicken, and for good reasons. Chicken is delicious when roasted properly, a whole chicken is still relatively inexpensive, and leftovers from a whole chicken are valuable to have on hand for quick meals the following day. Roasting a whole chicken intimidates some people, but it shouldn’t.
French toast isn’t rocket science, if you can dip a piece of bread into a beaten egg, you have the technique down. That was the French toast of my childhood and I have fond memories of it. Over the years, I’ve played around with that basic recipe and now have at least a dozen variations,
We have our share of Indian restaurants in Las Vegas, some better than others. India Masala Bar & Grill is one of the best. An offshoot of the popular India Masala in the food court at the Riviera on the Strip, this brand new India Masala, located on an unassuming corner on E. Flamingo, recently
A recent visit to a local Italian festival reminded me how much I loved these filled, breaded and fried rice balls, which were always served by my grandmother around the holidays. She always made a big batch and any leftovers were even better for snacks the next day. They are called “arancini”, which translates to
We went to the San Gennaro Italian festival to report on the food today. We were lured by the promise of sausage sandwiches, stuffed artichokes, pizza, cannoli, pasta, ravioli and other Italian delights. Being an Italian from back east, it sounded like a great way to spend a Friday afternoon. After paying $14 (with a
Looking for something a little different to serve with grilled meats? Eggplant couldn’t be easier. Often overlooked as a grilling option, all it requires is slicing and a bit of seasoning and the result is a top-notch side dish. The plump, dark purple European variety of eggplant is best for grilling. Choose eggplants that have
Egg rolls are almost an obsession for me. I can remember when the egg rolls served by Chinese restaurants were plump with an assortment of tasty bits of assorted veggies, bean sprouts, roast pork, and tiny shrimp wrapped in a crisp shell that crackled and shattered when bitten into. Somewhere along the way, the tasty
A large roast, either beef or pork, may seem like a major investment unless you have a few good recipes under your belt for using the leftovers. With a little bit of planning, the leftovers from that luxury Sunday roast can actually wind up costing less per meal than ground beef or chicken. When I
Versions of this very traditional all-American stew can be found in nearly every home, diner and fancy restaurant in New Mexico. It’s based on the wildly popular New Mexican chile pepper. This is the same chile variety used for roasted fresh green chiles, but left to ripen to deep red and dried. Strings of these
Never let it be said that we’re food snobs. We occasionally slip a can of Spam in between the foie gras and black truffles. When we do, you can be sure there’s more to it than just eating it right out of the can. Our favorite Spam recipe by far involves thin slices of spam
I’ve never been a fan of the old varieties of cherry tomatoes. Sure, they are cute, but they can be hard as rocks and often lack real tomato flavor. Even worse, they turn into projectiles if you spear them off-center with a fork when they are part of a tossed salad. A new type of
Versions of this popular Middle Eastern dessert have existed for hundreds of years. Most versions use walnuts or pistachios layered between paper-thin sheets of pastry that, luckily, can be found in the frozen food section in most supermarkets these days. Unlike most recipes for baklava that are meant to feed a crowd, this one makes
There are a less than a handful of Las Vegas locals who keep enough hens to regularly sell fresh eggs to the public. One farmer, Sharon Linsenbardt has been selling her eggs, honey and produce from her little gem of a farm located in the far North edge of the valley since 1961. On weekends,
The burgers on the menu at Bachi Burger are best described as “fusion” burgers with an emphasis on Asian flavors. It was the “Shogun” burger that folks have been raving about that brought us there. A thick, perfectly cooked Wagyu beef burger topped with foie gras, unagi (barbecued Japanese style eel), poached Asian pears and
Versions of this simple fruit tart with an almond base known as frangipane are found all over France. I’ve used apples here, but poached pears, cherries and apricots are all commonly used. As far as French pastry is concerned, this one is one is almost foolproof. The star of this tart is the moist, not
With all of the renovations going on at the MGM Grand, there’s not much of a reason for locals to venture there these days except, perhaps for a show or dinner. It’s the dining that normally draws us there, especially when the stellar NobHill is the destination. But on a more casual level, Grand Wok
I’m not Korean, but I’m a huge fan of the cuisine. A large Korean community in Las Vegas means I can find super-addicting crispy pancakes filled with any combination of seafood or vegetables, for snacks, lunch or dinner. Thanks to our numerous Asian grocery stores around the valley, these crisp, savory pancakes are no further
Grilling season has returned and easy rice side dishes like this pilaf are a perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat, fish or poultry. This rice pilaf is jazzed up with crunchy chopped pistachios. It may be made a few hours in advance and served hot or at room temperature, freeing the cook up to man
Elevation Burger is the latest entry into the Vegas “premium fast-casual” burger scene that includes Smashburger, Five Guys, Fatburger, and In-N-Out. These burger chains all serve a great, pink-slime free burger made with fresh high quality ground beef. Elevation Burger takes the concept one step further by featuring 100% grass fed, certified organic beef. The
Restaurant reviews for restaurants that are very good or very bad are easy (and fun) to write. It’s the restaurant that falls somewhere in the middle that makes it hard on those of us who feel compelled to write about what they eat. That said, Mastrioni’s, located in Summerlin on Hualapai is somewhere in the
While we adore the foie gras brulee from Sage at Aria and the black truffle soup from Restaurant Guy Savoy, we’re always pleased when we find a casual restaurant on the Strip that is also serving memorable food. We recently worked up a pre-show appetite while wandering the Venetian when the menu in front of
Fans of sushi will be familiar with tobiko, those mild, tiny, neon colored fish eggs that pop between your teeth. Tobiko, the roe of a number of flying fish species, is often served as a garnish for specialty rolls or on it’s own. However, what is often listed as tobiko on a sushi menu in
When pork belly is salted, cured, smoked and cooked it becomes the crisp bacon we know and love. When fresh, uncured pork belly is braised it becomes tender and luscious. This recipe is a little both. Pieces of fresh pork belly are marinated in fragrant Asian flavors, braised until tender then briefly deep-fried until crisp
A search for Chinese soup dumplings, those plump steamed dumplings filled with savory pork broth and ground pork, brought us to China MaMa. The word on the street is this is the place to go for soup dumplings.We were not disappointed. What we found was very, very nice. These tasty dumplings are called “Juicy Pork
We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrew Zimmern on location for the filming of the 100th episode of his popular show, Bizarre Foods. You would think a man whose diet includes insects, entrails and all manner of peculiar food would come off a bit quirky. Yes, he eats that stuff sometimes, but
